Coin inserting machine for cigarette packages



rAug. 13, 1957 E, J, CARROLL ET AL 2,802,323

COIN INSERTING MACHINE FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGES 3 Sheets-Sheet JJ.

Filed Dec.

INVENTOR. ELMER J. CARROLL FRANK. JOHN DYMORA BY Mw ATTORNEY THEIR ug- 13, 1957 E. J. CARROLL E1-A1. 2,802,323

COIN INSERTING MACHINE "FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGES Filed Dec. l. 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ta* 4b 'T5-m s IN V EN TO'R.

ELMER J. CARROLL, FRANK JOHN DYMORA erw/ufr THEI TTORNEY llg- 13, 1957 E. J. CARROLL ET AL 2,802,323

COIN INSERTING MACHINE FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGES Filed Dec. l, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 THEIR ATTORNEY United States Patent O COIN INSERTING MACHINE FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGES p Elmer J. Carroll, Pittsburgh, and Frank John Dymora, McKees Rocks, Pa.

Application December 1, 1955, Serial No. 550,375

4 Claims. (Cl. 53-50) This invention relates to a machine for automatically inserting coins, such as pennies, in cigarette packages and the like, and more particularly, relates to a machine operated by air pressure for actuating a plunger so as to force pennies between the cellophane outer wrapper and the cigarette package after the cellophane wrapper has been `automatically slit.

Recently, cigarettes have been extensively sold in coin operated machines. Inasmuch as the coin or coins used to operate the machine, such as a quarter and a nickel, are slightly higher in value than the cost of the package of cigarettes, it has been customary to include within the dispensed cigarette package one or more pennies representing the change for thirty cents. Heretofore, no satisfactory means have been devised for inserting the penniesin the package. Attempts -have been made to insert pennies between the package and cellophane outer wrapper after rst making a slit in the wrapper, either manually or by mechanically operated means. Such mechanically operated means have the outstanding disadvantage of causing tears in the outer cellophane wrapper, since it is extremely difficult to insert a slitting knife through only the outer wrapper without cutting into the package because of the excessive vibration of the mechanical operating means and the usual controlling movements of the hand and feet of -the operator which provide unsteady body movements. Cutting into the outer or inner wrapper not only mutilates the package so as to provide an unsightly appearance but eects drying out lof the cigarettes While in the dispensing machine. Furthermore, usual methods for inserting pennies in cigarette packages have been entirely too slow and costly for large scale operations.

An object of our invention is to provide a novel machine for automatically slitting the cellophane outer wrapper of a cigarette package and for automatically inserting pennies inside said wrapper exteriorly of the package.

, A more jspecic 'object of our invention is to provide a machine operated by Aair `pressure and including anair cylinder and plunger for forcibly injecting pennies into the space between a cigarette package and its cellophane outer wrapper with sufficient force so as to insert the pennies well within the wrapper and without the danger of subsequent dropping out.

A further object of our invention is to provide a iiuid operated machine for automatically inserting coins easily and quickly into cigarette packages without the necessity of skillful operators and without accidental slitting of the paper package containing the cigarettes.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will become more apparent from a study of the following description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a machine for automatically slitting and inserting pennies in cigarette packages and embodying the principles of the present invention.

ice

Figure 2 is an end elevational view, reduced in scale, taken along line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showrllgf the pennyv pushing plunger and cellophane slitting Figure 4 is a top or plan view of the machine shown in Figures l and 2.

Figure 5 is a transversal cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a transversal cross-sectional view taken along line VI--VI of Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing numeral 1 denotes a base or pedestal of steel, cast iron or suitable material having four integral legs for supporting the base 1 on a table top 'or the like. The top central portion of base Z is provided with a longitudinally extending central groove 3 of dove-tail cross section, in which groove there is slidably iitted a plunger 4 of corresponding cross-section, so that the plunger has no tendency to lift out of the groove. Plunger 4 has a reduced neck portion, portion 4a and an end portion 4b having .a V-shaped cutout so as to provide two forked ends for engaging a penny or other coin 5 so as to push a group of pennies disposed in side by side relationship. One or more stacks of pennies (three being shown) are provided and are supported in groove 3 within a box 6 which is yieldably secured to base 1 by means of a plurality of bolts 7 having Shanks which extend through apertures in the base as shown in Figure 3 and having head portions between which portions and the lower `surface of the base there are provided helical springs 8. The springs yieldably hold box 6 on top of base 1, but still permit slight lifting movement of box 6 in the event pennies are jammed in the receiving groove in base 1.

Detachable tubular stacks 9 of cylindrical shape are telescoped into correspondingly shaped portions of the box 6 as shown more clearly in Figure 6 and each is provided with a side kaperture 9a adapted to come into registry with a corresponding aperture in the side of box 6 as shown in Figure 6 so that the condition of stacked pennies within stacks 9 may be observed by the operator, that is, so the operator may visually determine whether pennies at the lower portion of the stacks are inclined instead of horizontal, to permit correction.

Plunger 4 is pin connected to a connector 12 secured to and operated by piston rod 13 which is moved as the result of air pressure being introduced into an air cylinder 14, i. e., 4on either side of a piston (not shown) included within the air cylinder. A suitable source V'of air pressure, such as a compressed air cylinder, (not shown), supplies air pressure in pipe 15 and through valve 16 thence to the 'cylinder 14. A valve operating element 18 is provided which is in "the form of a`knob screw threadedly secured to a shank 19 which operates the valve so that upon forcing the valve operating element 18l to the left as viewed in Figure l, by pushing the end of a cigarette package thereagainst, air flows through the Valve and is introduced into the left. side of the cylinder so as to push connector 12 from the full line position to the dash-and-dot line position shown in Figure l. Upon release of pressure against a return spring (not shown) by removal of the cigarette package from operating element 18, element 12 will return to its original position by virtue of introduction of air under pressure on the right hand side of the cylinder. Suitable adjusting needle valves as 14a may be used for regulating the amount of air introduced in the cylinder, either for the forward or the reverse stroke. It is generally desired that the forward stroke, i. e., to the right as viewed in' Figure 1Q Shoud be a quick ne and the re! verse stroke a little slower.

At the end of the machine, Vabove valve operating element 18, there is fastened a knife 21 which is adapted to be inserted through the cellophane outer wrapper of a package of cigarettes along one side of the package of --narrowest width, and which is adapted to slit the cellojphane and slide between the cellophane wrapper and valve operating element 18 and at such height that knife 21 pierces only the cellophane wrapper so as to provide an opening into which pennies may be subsequently inserted. As the end of the package is being so pushed, spreading element 23 will project into the slit formed and underneath the cellophane Wrapper and will push downwardly against the inner paper wrapper of the ,cigarette package so as to provide an unobstructed space into which pennies may be introduced. As a consequence of the movement to the left of element 18, valve 16 is operated in a manner so as to eiect introduction of air into the air cylinder so as to forcibly and smoothly move the plunger to the right together with all the lowermost pennies in the three stacks. As a consequence of a full forward stroke of plunger 4, three pennies are pushed into the end portion of the package exteriorly of the paper wrapper and interiorly of the cellophane wrapper and with sufficient pressure and speed so as to push the pennies well into the package with no danger of their falling out.

As soon as the pennies .are automatically inserted in the package, the package is withdrawn so that element .18 will be automatically restored to its initial position so as to allow retraction of the plunger to its initial position as shown in full lines. Then, another package is pushed against element 18 in the same manner and the above operation is repeated. Thus, the number of packages of cigarettes into which pennies of the right number may be inserted is dependent merely upon the speed of the operator in pushing a new package into position Vagainst element 18. It will be readily apparent that pennies may be very quickly and easily inserted -in packages.

It will be apparent that instead of using an air presvsure operated cylinder, a hydraulically operated cylinder may be used, although this would be less desirable than lthe former. It will also be apparent that any number of `stacks of pennies or other coins may be used instead of the three shown.

Thus it will be seen that we have provided an efficient and highly reliable machine for automatically slitting the outer cellophane wrapper of cigarette packages and for forcing pennies within the cellophane wrapper by an air pressure actuated plunger so as to etfect smooth, vibration-free and accurate operation of the machine and speedy introduction of pennies in cigarette packages without tearing the paper package; furthermore, we have provided a machine which can be operated by unskilled operators and which provides an amazing increase in speed in introducing pennies into packages.

While we have illustrated and described an embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that this is by way of illustration only, and that various changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of our invention and within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

l. A machine for automatically introducing coins between the cellophane outer wrapper and paper inner wrapper of a cigarette package, said machine including a horizontal base having a longitudinal groove, a plunger reciprocably mounted within said groove, an air cylin der for operating said plunger, a source of air under pressure connected to said cylinder, a coin stacking box for holding vertically stacked coins disposed along a row at one end portion of said groove, and allowing only the lowermost coins along said row to drp in said groove so as to be ejected by said plunger, a knife secured to the end of said machine parallel to and immediately above and beyond the end of said groove, and means for yieldably holding said box downwardly against said base but permitting limited upward movement of said box relative said base to prevent jamming of coins.

2. A machine as recited in claim 1 together with a separating element located in spaced relationship beneath said knife and in registry with the lower surface of said groove for depressing the paper package away from the cellophane outer wrapper as said knife is inserted through said wrapper and thereby providing clearance between the paper package and outer wrapper to allow unobstructed insertion of said coins in the cigarette package.

3. A coin inserting machine for cigarette vpackages as v recited in claim 2 wherein cylindrical elements are telescopically fitted into the top portion of said box for receiving stacks of coins and for permitting ready detachment thereof from said box.

4. A coin inserting machine for cigarette packages as recited in claim 3 wherein said box `and said cylindrical elements have side apertures in registry to permit visual observation of the coins when stacked.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

